Sri Swamiji was the uncommon and rare Yogi. He had great hatred for superficial show. In his miraculous works he has negated superficial show, which a so-called spiritual person may resort to.
Chandra-Swar (Breathing air out of the left nostril)
Vamanbua Vamorikar, Alais Badodekar, was a great devotee of Sri Swamiji. On his way to Akkalkot, he got down at Kadal station and took a Tonga [1] for his onward journey to Akkalkot. At that time it came to his notice that he is breathing out Surya-Swar [2]. He felt that for the purpose of Guru-Darshan as per Swar-Shastra [3], the Chandra-swar [4] is considered more beneficial. Therefore, he tried changing the Surya-Swar to Chandra–Swar through Pranayam. When he failed in his attempt, he skilfully put a ball of cotton in the right nostril to force Chandra-Swar. Thus he started breathing through his left nostril.
Having being freed from this anxiety by forcing breathing through Chandra-Swar, he went and stood before Sri Swamiji. The all-knowing Sri Swamiji knew this. Sri Swamiji pressed his right nostril and mocked Vamanbua saying, “Why is it that the Chandra-Swar does not out from my left nostril for Guru-Darshan? ”. He told Wamanbua “Take out that ball of cotton from your nostril. What happens by stopping the breathing of air from one nostril?. Even if the flow of air stops from the nostril, there would be a flow of air from the mouth as well as below the mouth. So stop this farce”.
Wamanbua was embarrassed and ashamed. He removed the ball of cotton from his right nostril and threw it away. He said “The Sadguru, who is free from all troubles, passionless and one with Supreme Bliss and merged into the Divine Self, is Omnipresent. Without realising this fact I stuffed the nostril with the ball of suspicion. By the kind mercy of my Sadguru, I have removed that ball of suspicion and threw it away. Now I am free from suspicion”. Sri Swamiji said “The state of Supreme Bliss does not include the presence of Sun, Moon etc.
Untouchability
Sri Swamiji had a great hatred for the superficial show of untouchability. He would visit anyplace, sit anywhere, and eat food given by anyone irrespective of the person’s status in society, caste, or religion. He had a feeling of equality towards all in his heart. Some people, compelled by their habits, make an outward show of untouchability in front of Sri Swamiji. Once Janakibai from Baroda had prepared unpolluted holy food for ‘naivedya’ and offered the same to Sri Swamiji, but Sri Swamiji refused to accept the food and said, “I do not eat unpolluted holy food”.
Tol Repented
When Sri Swamiji had come to Solapur, Chintopant Tol took him to his house. However, a doubt cropped up in his mind. He began to think, “Sri Swamiji takes food anywhere he likes, so it is not proper to serve him food in the same row as ours. We will serve him food in a separate place”. Reading Tol’s mental thought, Sri Swamiji said, “There is a doubt in your mind. So I shall not take food here”. Tol repented for his grave mistake, prostrated at the lotus feet of Sri Swamiji, and prayed for forgiveness. Only then kind-hearted Sri Swamiji took food with Tol.
Uncontaminated Food
When Sri Swamiji came to Akkalkot, initially he stayed in Cholappa’s house. There he harassed the family members of Cholappa. Cholappa’s wife observed untouchability, but Sri Swamiji never supported untouchability. He would accept the unpolluted food served by Cholappa’s wife. However, sometimes he would get stark naked and say “Now I will serve food to all of you in a holy condition”. Hearing these words from Sri Swamiji Cholappa’s family would get ashamed.
Outward Show Of Untouchability
While staying in Akkalkot, Gopalbua Kelkar of Chiplun in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, went to a well to take a bath. There he requested the Brahmins to give him a vessel to take bath. They refused. Finally, he took a vessel from a person who belonged to the Maratha [5] community and took his bath. At that time Balawantrao was also present there. Balwantrao used to help Sri Swamiji while smoking a hukka. He started mocking Gopalbua saying, “Oh! This Kokanya [6] has become corrupted. Do not take water polluted by him”. Gopalbua heard these remarks and was deeply hurt. At the same time, someone present there commented, “Give him the Charanodaka [7] and purify him”.
They gave holy water to Gopalbua. However, the problem did not end there. The same day during dinner someone remarked “Do not keep the leaf-plate (used to serve food) of that corrupted Kokanya in the same rank (row) as ours, but keep separately”. Sripad Bhat gave moral support to Gopalbua and said that taking Charanodaka has already purified him. However, people present there displayed high-handedness and forced Gopalbua to sit in a separate place. Gopalbua Kelkar was dejected and felt miserable. He was in tears while eating.
In the normal row for all the Brahmins, a leaf-plate readied for Sri Swamiji, but Sri Swamiji started uttering abuses and said, “I have become corrupted. Do not touch me. I shall not take food”. He became very angry, went out of that place, and sat on a large heap of garbage. In this way Sri Swamiji displayed strong opposition to observing untouchability and to the injustice meted out towards Gopalbua Kelkar.
That day Sri Swamiji did not take any food. Next day those people allowed Gopalbua to take food along with others in the same row, only then Sri Swamiji cooled down. The particular person, who had prevented Gopalbua Kelkar from taking food in the same row as that of others, lost his mental balance due to misfortune.
Earthen Worship
A Brahmin was carrying out earthen idol worship. Even while sitting in front of Sri Swamiji, he would be busy carrying out idol worship. One day Sri Swamiji spoke to him “Oh! How long would you be spoiling that earth? ”. Hearing these words of Sri Swamiji, he gave up idol worship. As per the words of Sri Swamiji, Guru-Pooja [8] is superior as compared to idol worship.
[1] Tonga: Horse carriage. Traditionally used for transportating people over long distances.
[2] Surya-Swar: Breathing out air out of the right nostril.
[3] Swar Shastra: The treatise which interprets the indications and premonitions of the air as it proceeds through the nostrils
[4] Chandra Swar: Breathing air out of left nostril.
[5] Maratha: Non-Brahmin. Warrior community
[6] Kokanya: In this context: A person living in Konkan, Maharashtra.
[7] Charanodaka: The holy water which washed the lotus feet of Sri Swamiji
[8] Guru Pooja: Worship of spiritual Instructor as an embodiment of God
